REVIEWS

“[The Night Shiftersis] a fascinating ride. The voice feels a lot like Neil Gaiman. This is a huge compliment in my mind, and one not to be taken lightly.” - Melinda VanLoneReviews

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Destiny! Destiny! No Escaping That For Me!

Every year I have the same fantasy. And every year it seems more unobtainable. For the holidays, just before Thanksgiving, I dream of going away – to Hawaii, or Tahiti, some place warm. Some place beautiful. Some place where they never heard of Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or New Years. Some place where I won't be expected to cook, or send cards, or show up Christmas morning even though I'm dead tired. And every year I think, Oh well. Maybe next year. And I imagine the sensation of warm sand between my toes and sunshine on my smiling, worry-free face.

I never examine this fantasy too closely. Otherwise I might notice that OF COURSE they have Christmas in Hawaii. They've got freakin' Walmart there. I'd have to go somewhere really remote to get away from Christmas – and the more remote the place is, the less comfortable it's going to be. It might even be downright dangerous. Hey, I don't have to brave the malls or schmooze at the Christmas parties, but those guys in the camouflage-colored jeep keep shooting at me.

Not that I could afford to stay away as long as I'd like to, anyway. It's hard to get November 20 to January 2 off when you work retail. In fact, it's hard to get that block off for just about any job you could think of. And even if I could get the time off, I don't have the moolah for my dream escape. I couldn't afford a trip to Tucson, let alone Tahiti.

I suppose I could buy a sandbox, fill it full of volcanic sand, position it under a sun lamp in my living room, lock the doors, and play South Pacific and Beach Blanket Bingo movies all December.

But I actually like my family. And they sort of like me too. They could probably get along without me for the holidays. But I wonder – if I bow out, will I miss my chance to see them for the year? Because we don't tend to get together for Groundhog Day. Each year I have to wonder, is this the last time I'll see them?

Em Foils the Mongolian Death Worm

About Me

I'm a writer -- Emily Devenport, Maggy Thomas and Lee Hogan are the pen names I used when I wrote my novels. I've been published in the U.S., the U.K., Italy, and Israel. My novels are SHADE, LARISSA, SCORPIANNE, EGGHEADS, THE KRONOS CONDITION, GODHEADS, BROKEN TIME (which was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award), BELARUS, and ENEMIES. Look for my new novels, THE NIGHT SHIFTERS, SPIRITS OF GLORY, and PALE LADY on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Kobo, Sony, Apple, and Smashwords. I'm married to artist/writer Ernest Hogan -- check out his Mondo Ernesto blog. I write reviews on amazon as Emily Hogan. Like most writers, I have an eye for the weird, and that's what I like to blog about. You can contact me at emdevenport(at)gmail.com. Please, no spam or death threats.

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When Hazel promised never to give up on her dreams, did she really understand what she was promising?

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One morning the people of the North woke up and the people of the South were gone . . .

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They say time can't stand still. They're wrong.

“Emily Devenport's “If The Sun's at Five O'Clock, It Must Be Yellow Daisies” smote me. It's a brilliant examination of the human soul in relation to one's self-perception . . . I can't fathom how Devenport managed to layer worldbuilding, develop a full character and examine the human psyche [with] such thoroughness.”